Red Maeng Da vs Red Bali Kratom: Why Would You Choose One Over the Other?

Kratom is experiencing increasing popularity all over the world. The Kratom plant has its origin in the Southeast Asian region. The tropical climate permits the Kratom plants, scientifically known as Mitragyna speciosa, to survive and grow. South-eastern Asia offers moist and warm air and acidic and rich soil. Thus, you would find several Kratom trees in the deep forest of Southeast Asia and even on the river banks. The Kratom trees grow naturally and are used widely for their features to uplift overall wellness. 

If you are opting for some of the best Kratom strains, then by now, you surely have come across two of its renowned strains: Red Bali Kratom and Red Maeng Da Kratom. Apart from their strong potential and effects as an energy booster, mood enhancer, and pain reliever, these two unique strains have various unique features. However, it’s important to research on red maeng da kratom vs red bali and know what would be best for you before consuming it.

A Detailed Analysis of Red Bali Kratom 

The Red Bali Kratom can be typically identified by its origin and the colour of its vein. The name of this Kratom suggested the place from where it’s actually originated, i.e. Bali. These strains are also widely cultivated in Indonesia and Thailand. Moreover, these strains are produced by using the grafting technique. The Red Bali Kratom can be cultivated in almost every region of Asia because of the grafting procedure. The red vein offers unique and mature support and potency level. 

The Red Bali Kratom is one of the most productive strains of Kratom, and it is considered to be similar to opioids. Although a red vein category, the Red Bali Kratom offers the mildest effect; thus, it’s appropriate for beginners. Because of its recreational and medicinal features, Red Bali Kratom is hugely preferred by enthusiastic Kratom consumers, both abroad and local. 

The leaves of these Red Bali Kratoms have been extensively utilized to assist with the sense of discomfort and to boost your mental state. These leaves are carefully processed and cured for the maximization of alkaloid release that results in huge quantities of alkaloids like 7-hydroxy mitragynine, Speciogynine, Mitragynine, 9-hydroxycorynantheidine, and Mitraphylline. All these alkaloids contribute to the taste of natural bitterness that a great majority of Kratom consumers have.

The effects and advantages of Red Bali Kratom 

Even though the Red Bali Kratom is the mildest among all, still it is a very strong category of Kratom products that can offer instantaneous features. This Kratom is popular for its speedy performance in offering pain relief and also for its sedative effects. In addition, it has an extensive ability to evoke tranquility and calmness that make it the appropriate way to get relieved after a long tiring day.

Some of the major advantages of Red Bali Kratom are: 

  • Anxiety reliever – Since the Red Bali Kratom is popular for its capability to soothe and calm, it is the perfect strain for people who are suffering from any sort of anxiety. Various users like this strain, especially because it helps them relax so that they can effectively manage stressful situations.
  • Pain reliever – The Red Bali Kratom, just like various other Kratom strains, offer analgesic features that assist you in getting relief from pain. Although this strain is appropriate for anyone suffering from pain, it is an absolute game-changer for those suffering from chronic and severe pain as it is speedy and can offer relief almost instantly without the need of completely depending on various pain medications.
  • Mood elevator or Antidepressant – The relaxing and soothing features of the Red Bali Kratom make it appropriate for those who are experiencing any sort of depression. The high amount of alkaloid content present in this category of Kratom makes this extremely effective in elevating the overall mood. The euphoric and mellow strain that it offers is the reason why numerous users opt for this strain. 
  • Weight Management – For some consumers, the Red Bali Kratom can be utilized as an effective supplement for overall weight management. For example, in various portions of Southeast Asia, the labourers intake this Kratom to uplift their energy levels while working and avoid hunger. Therefore, Red Bali Kratom can be a good solution for those who are gaining weight because of inconsistency. However, it’s crucial to know that this Kratom may not be able to suppress the natural appetite in some of the consumers and can instead uplift their appetite. 
  • Insomnia Management – Insomnia is a type of sleep disorder that may result because of extreme anxiety and stress. Because of the sedative properties of the Red Bali Kratom, it is appropriate for individuals who are suffering from Insomnia to assist in calming the mind. Moreover, in larger dosages, it can also improve the quality of sleep and helps the over-thinkers.

A Detailed Analysis of Red Maeng Da Kratom

The Red Maeng Da Kratom is the red-veined category of the Kratom tree. It has its origin in Thailand. However, now Kratom grows in both Thailand and Indonesia. The popularity of this superior Kratom strain has grown with time. 

Since Red Maeng Da Kratom is a strong strain; hence it’s not appropriate for beginners. But with increasing tolerance with consumption of other mild Kratom strains, you can start consuming this Kratom strain and enjoy its beneficial features. 

Some of the major advantages of Red Maeng Da Kratom are: 

  • Mood alleviator – The energizing features of this Kratom product can improve your mood, eliminate all sorts of negative thoughts from your mind, and assist you in coping with anxiety.
  • Sedating effects – Because of the euphoric features of the Red Maeng Da Kratom, it can make you feel happy. 
  • Pain reliever – If you are suffering from chronic pain, this Kratom would be the best option for you. This is because the Red Maeng Da Kratom offers rich analgesic features that help to eliminate painful sensations and headaches on your muscles and joints. 
  • Brainpower alleviator – The Red Maeng Da Kratom boosts your brain’s cognitive ability via concentration, creativity, memory, etc.
  • Energy booster – If you are experiencing fatigue, then this Kratom would offer you the best natural remedy to uplift your energy. 

Therefore, from the above discussion, it’s quite evident that the Red Bali Kratom is a mild strain and the Red Maeng Da Kratom is a strong strain. However, the potency of both products depends on the way they are processed and cultivated. If you’re a beginner, then you should begin with a mild strain like the Red Bali, and then after you become increasingly tolerant to the mild effects, you can slowly start consuming the strong strains like Red Maeng Da Kratom. However, before consuming any product, make sure that the strain is pure and processed in appropriate conditions to enhance its benefits. 

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Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: bali, choose, da, kratom, maeng, red, ...

Red Dead Redemption 2: Beginner’s Guide

Red Dead Redemption 2 is an online game that creates a Wild West aura. The players here lead a life full of crime to climb their way up and in the process kill anyone that comes in their way. The online game gives the players a plethora of options to customize their appearance. They can also interact with people from the real world. The players can team up with their friends and go on a mission to collect weapons or money. The game is set in the fictional Southern United States and Midwestern. Read through these Red Dead Redemption 2 hacks to play the online game.

The cores

There are three core things to always keep in mind – your stamina, health, and the dead eye. The HUD represented by a circle with a white outline shows the amount of each core that you have left. See a drop in the health meter when you get shot. Your stamina falls when you hoof up on a mountain. See your dead eye depleting when you slow down for a long period. When the core is low the meter shows a red. So pay attention because your core affects the stat regeneration and an empty core slows down regeneration.

Using the dead eye

The dead eye is the mechanic to slow down the time and let you mark your enemies and kill them in succession. Use this core strategically. You may wish to tag various targets for shorts or aim and shoot your rivals manually. The dead eye also works when you are on horseback. Many missions have chasing scenes and riding and aiming both at the same time can be a task. This is where the dead eye can come to aid.

Caring and bonding with your horse

Your horse stands true to you through the game. Early on in the game, you go on a mission where you buy your new horse. Give it a cute name. In Red Dead Redemption 2, it matters how you treat your animal friend. Your horse also has a healthy and stamina core. If you let your horse take a lot of shots or damage then it can die. Revivers work here, which though pricey comes to your rescue.

Making money and XP

Money is important and to earn money all that you need to do is to use the D-pad to select the story mission on call. It opens up the menu Free roam. You get paired with a random player. The rewards are small in the beginning but grow when you level up.

The players need to complete the mission to work their way up. Doing the same mission over and over again does not earn anything so always try out something new to earn money. Your performance in the mission is vital. The better you perform the more you earn. The missions are random. Story mission help to earn the XP, unlock future mission and new weapons and also earn high rewards. The mission can also be played along with friends so it pays to get a friend group and work on the mission together.

Be prepared with your firefights

You cannot afford to take a lot of damage when you play this game. Stay behind the cover and be planned about where you should head next. Stay still when you pull the shots especially when you are shooting at a long range. Do not fire aimlessly as it will just make you miss and waste your ammunition. Shoot only with intent.

It takes time to loot but do not avoid it

You can kill a lawman, a bandit, or an innocent and can loot from them. People may not have a lot of cash but you definitely may be able to find some tonics or other things to boost stamina and health. Looting lets you save trips to the general store. Looting takes time and this is also when you are highly vulnerable. So stay cautious when you loot but do not forget to loot.

Learn the settings and controls

If you can personalize the settings, then half the task is done. You can get into the settings to turn off the aim assist and alter its sensitivity. Red Dead Redemption 2 also does not want you to sprint. You can also choose to play in the first person when you are on foot and in the third person when you are riding. This is possible too. The setting will automatically switch you into the third person mode when you jump on the horse. Work on the settings and change them to your liking before you are prepared to take over the mission.

Conclusion

With inspiring storylines and the state of the art graphics, Red Dead Redemption 2 does not fail to engross the players for long. You may be tempted to cut through the mission as soon as possible. However, take time, go slow and let everything sink in before you get aggressive. There is enough time and room for every player to grow and play the game.

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Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: 2, beginners, dead, guide, red, redemption, ...

POWER TRIP Begins Tour With Red Death Today + Band To Support The Original Misfits This Week

Texas crossover outfit POWER TRIP today kicks off a tour across the Midwest with support from their allies in Red Death, with shows in Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Des Moines, and St Louis this week. The shows surround POWER TRIP‘s spot supporting The Original Misfits as well as Fear and Venom Inc. at the massive Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois this Saturday, April 27th. 

POWER TRIP has additional shows booked through the year, including stateside festival sets at Dark Lord Day with High On Fire and Nuclear Assault, Trouble N’ Texas Fest with Bitter End, Sound & Fury Festival with Have Heart, Fury, and Fiddlehead, Psycho Las Vegas with Yob, High On Fire, and Glassjaw, and the newly-confirmed Exit 111 Festival with Def Leppard, ZZ Top, and Mastodon. The band will return to Europe as well this June to play the Donnington Park Circuit, Plein Air, and more. 

Watch for many more new POWER TRIP tour dates to be announced in the weeks ahead. 

POWER TRIP‘s Southern Lord-released breakthrough album, Nightmare Logic, has earned praise from The New Yorker to Pitchfork’s Best New Music, to countless best-of/year-end lists. The band was awarded the Best Metal Album Of The Year from Loudwire and song placement in the WWE. Touring relentlessly, the band has headlined tours across North America, Europe, and Japan last year, recently supported Danzig on several US shows, had a track used in an episode of the YouTube Premium series Wayne, and was featured on the cover of Decibel Magazine’s February 2019 issue. 

Find POWER TRIP’s Nightmare Logic LP at the Southern Lord webshop HEREand via Bandcamp HERE.

POWER TRIP Tour Dates:
4/23/2019 89th Street – Oklahoma City, OK w/ Red Death
4/24/2019 Riot Room – Kansas City, MO w/ Red Death
4/25/2019 Vaudeville Mews – Des Moines, IA w/ Red Death
4/27/2019 Allstate Arena – Rosemont, IL w/ The Original Misfits, Fear, Venom Inc. [info]
4/28/2019 Ready Room – St Louis, MO w/ Red Death
5/18/2019 3 Floyds Brewing – Munster, IN @ Dark Lord Day w/ High On Fire, Nuclear Assault
5/30/2019 Paper Tiger – San Antonio, TX w/ Bitter End, Hardside, Saintpeeler
6/01/2019 Trouble N’ Texas Fest – Dallas, TX w/ Bitter End
6/16/2019 Donnington Park Circuit – Derby, UK [info]
6/23/2019 Plein Air – Dessel, FR [info]
6/28/2019 Suvilahti – Helsinki, FI [info]
7/12-13/2019 Sound & Fury Festival – Los Angeles, CA w/ Have Heart, Fury, Fiddlehead
8/16-18/2019 Psycho Las Vegas – Las Vegas, NV w/ Yob, High On Fire, Glassjaw10/12/2019 Exit 111 Festival – Manchester, TN w/ Def Leppard, ZZ Top, Mastodon

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: band, begins, death, misfits, original, power, ...

The Miseducation of Cameron Post Red Carpet Interviews

Desiree Ahkavan’s new film, The Miseducation of Cameron Post hits theaters this week after both winning the Grand Jury prize for drama at Sundance Film Fest and screening at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year. The film, an adaptation of Emily Danforth’s 2012 novel, stars Chloe Grace Moretz as Cameron Post, a high school girl who is caught making out with another girl on prom night. Cameron is subsequently sent to a religious gay “conversion therapy” camp called God’s Promise by her conservative American family. From there, Ahkavan’s touching and honest film follows Cameron as she encounters her fellow campers coping with their sexualities and the camp counselors (Jennifer Ehle and John Gallagher Jr.) who may have their own inner reservations about the work that they do. It is a challenging film for its young stars that’s deftly led by Moretz with support from Sasha Lane, and Forrest Goodluck.
I got to speak with some of this talented cast at their Tribeca red carpet premiere about how they came to be in the film and the message believers in these controversial camps could take away from Cameron’s story.

Tony winner John Gallagher Jr. plays Reverend Rick, himself a former camper turned youth counselor who outwardly is a God’s Promise “success” story but clearly deals with suppressing his true emotions.

Lauren Damon: Your character has so much going on under the surface, how did you work on playing him?

John Gallagher Jr: Yeah! A lot of it was just trusting the script and trusting Desiree. You know it was a very complicated role who’s living right on the edge of something. And I just really looked to [Desiree] to kind of be the leader and to be my guide throughout all of it. And to just try and kind of tell the truth as we had deemed it fit for the film.

LD: What was the most difficult part of working on this?

JGJ: I think, you know living on that edge…of like really preaching something that, I think you start seeing throughout the film, that the character may or may not actually even believe. And that kind of crisis of faith, and that doubt and that second guessing. And really like the guilt that comes with that…I think he’s a guy that really is struggling to do what he believes is the right thing. And I think that his awakening in the film is that he doesn’t know what the right thing is.

LD: I watched this in an admittedly liberal NYC screening room and I think the reactions to a lot of what happens in the camp was that it was ridiculous, but both in the film, and in these real places, it’s really not…

JGJ: It’s not. There is no spin on it, that is their earnest belief. And as I can’t even fathom having that kind of opinion on matters of sexuality, that’s a very real thing. And people do have those exact kind of beliefs.

LD: What would you tell someone with these kinds of beliefs if you could speak to them?

JGJ: Gosh. I would tell them to watch this film and think it over a second time, you know?

Quinn Shephard plays the small but crucial role of Coley Taylor, the girlfriend who Moretz’s Cameron is caught with before she is sent for conversion.

LD: Your role isn’t big in terms of screentime, but it’s so pivotal to the film, how was it to know that going in?

Quinn Shephard: It was great! I was very happy to be a part of the film in any way possible. I keep saying, I just wanted to be a part of the movie because I really believed in it. I think it’s one of the best scripts I’ve ever read and I wanted to be in it. And I’m excited that I got to play this role.

LD: As in actress in this film, if you could get a message to people who believe these camps are effective, what would it be?

QS: Oh man. I think it’s like…I mean, look–Some people I think have a lot of fears and they justify things like conversion camps out of fears. But I think that if you come at something from a place of love, it’s impossible to justify. I think if you’re really someone who feels love in your heart and you challenge yourself to love someone who’s gay and imagine…putting that person through that and telling them that they’re not okay, I think it’s impossible to justify. I think people get caught up in their rhetoric and they get up in religious justification. But when it’s human and it’s in front of you, it’s very hard to agree with, you know? And I think that if somebody sits through this movie who believes in it, they’ll change their mind.

LD: How did you go about preparing for the intimate scenes between Coley and Cameron?

QS: I read the book, I read about my character…I’m somebody who’s very comfortable with who I am and it was just about creating a place in myself where I was very happy for what was happening, but at the same time very ashamed of it. I think that’s who [COLEY] is, she’s that duality and that was a difficult place for me to go. It was a very sad place. But it was something that was very important to her. There was a fragility to the relationship because she is not okay with it yet. And then I think as far as the actual intimacy of the scene, we just went into it was a sense of humor. And Desiree was very accommodating and she made us very comfortable and we had fun.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post opens in New York on August 3rd and expands to LA and other cities on August 10th.

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Filed Under: Film Headlines, Film Interviews, Interviews, Uncategorized Tagged With: cameron, carpet, chloe grace moretz, film festival, interview, interviews, ...

Power Trip Announce North American Tour w/ Sheer Mag, Fury, and Red Death

POWER TRIP Announces North American Tour
With Sheer Mag, Fury, And Red Death As Support

(photo by Kevin Estrada)

POWER TRIP has announced a new set of headlining North American tour dates late this spring with Sheer Mag, Fury, and Red Death. Check below for a full list of dates, and watch for more tour dates to be announced. All tickets for the new headlining dates are now on sale HERE. See a newly unleashed tour trailer HERE.

POWER TRIP’s breakthrough album, Nightmare Logic, earned an overwhelming amount of love across the board, ranging in praise from The New Yorker to a Pitchfork’s Best New Music, to countless best-of/year-end lists The band was awarded the Best Metal Album Of The Year from Loudwire and song placement in the WWE.

Find POWER TRIP’s Nightmare Logic at YouTube HERE, Spotify HERE, iTunes HERE, and at the Southern Lord US store HERE and European store HERE.

POWER TRIP Tour Dates:
1/13/2018 Phoenix Theater – Petaluma, CA
1/18/2018 Astra Kulturhaus – Berlin, DE ^
1/19/2018 Tivoli Ronda – Utrecht, NL ^
1/20/2018 Eventwerk – Dresden, DE ^
1/21/2018 Backstage – Munich, DE ^
1/22/2018 Komplex – Zurich, CH ^
1/23/2018 Schlachtof – Wiesbaden, DE ^
1/24/2018 Sono – Brno, CZ ^
1/25/2018 Stadthalle – Lichtenfels, DE ^
1/26/2018 De Mast – Torhout, BE ^
1/27/2018 Turbinenhalle – Oberhausen, DE ^
1/28/2018 02 Forum Kentish Town – London, UK ^
3/11/2018 Live Music Hall – Koln, DE #
3/12/2018 Turbinenhalle 2 – Oberhausen, DE #
3/14/2018 KB – Malmo, SE #
3/15/2018 Fryshuset Klubben – Stockholm, SE #
3/16/2018 Rockefeller – Oslo, NO #
3/17/2018 Arbis – Norrkoping, SE #
3/19/2018 Cable Factory – Helsinki, FI #
3/21/2018 Pustervik – Gothenburg, SE #
3/22/2018 Pumpehuset – Copenhagen, DK #
3/23/2018 Huxleys – Berlin, DE #
3/24/2018 Täubchenthal – Leipzig, DE #
3/25/2018 Progresja – Warsaw, PL #
3/27/2018 Roxy – Prague, CZ #
3/28/2018 Majestic – Bratislava, SK #
3/29/2018 Durer Kert – Budapest, HU #
3/30/2018 Simm City – Vienna, AU #
4/01/2018 Tvornica – Zagreb, HR #
4/02/2018 Kino Siska – Ljubljana, SI #
4/03/2018 Phenomenon – Novara, IT #
4/04/2018 Komplex – Zurich, CH #
4/06/2018 Sala Santana – Bilbao, ES #
4/07/2018 Teatro Barcelo – Madrid, ES #
4/08/2018 Sala Razzmatazz – Barcelona, ES #
4/10/2018 L’Usine – Geneva, CH #
4/11/2018 Tonhalle – Munich, DE #
4/12/2018 LKA-Longhorn – Stuttgart, DE #
4/13/2018 Bataclan – Paris, FR #
4/15/2018 Trix – Antwerp, BE #
4/16/2018 O2 Academy – Bristol, UK @
4/17/2018 O2 Academy – Birmingham, UK @
4/19/2018 O2 Academy – Glasgow, UK @
4/20/2018 Academy – London, UK @
4/21/2018 Academy Brixton – London, UK @
4/27/2018 Welcome to Rockville Festival – Jacksonville, FL [info]
4/28/2018 Fort Rock – Sunrise, FL
4/30/2018 The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA *
5/01/2018 Saturn – Birmingham, AL *
5/04/2018 Carolina Rebellion – Concord, NC
5/05/2018 Broadberry – Richmond, VA *
5/06/2018 Spirit – Pittsburgh, PA *
5/07/2018 Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA *
5/08/2018 The Black Cat – Washington, DC *
5/10/2018 Elsewhere – Brooklyn, NY *
5/11/2018 Paradise – Boston, MA *
5/12/2018 The Lost Horizon – Syracuse, NY *
5/13/2018 Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON *
5/15/2018 El Club – Detroit, MI *
5/16/2018 Reggie’s – Chicago, IL *
5/18-20/2018 Rock On The Range – Columbus, OH [info]
5/19/2018 The Empty Bottle – Chicago, IL *
5/20/2018 Fine Line – Minneapolis, MN *
5/21/2018 The Park Theatre – Winnipeg, MB *
5/23/2018 Louis’ – Saskatoon, SK *
5/24/2018 The Starlite Room – Edmonton, AB *
5/25/2018 Dickens Pub – Calgary, AB *
5/27/2018 Modified Ghost Festival III – Vancouver, BC [info]
5/28/2018 Neumo’s – Seattle, WA *
5/29/2018 Hawthorne Theater – Portland, OR *
5/31/2018 Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA *
6/01/2018 The Ritz – San Jose, CA *
6/02/2018 The Regent – Los Angeles, CA !
6/03/2018 Soma – San Diego, CA *
6/04/2018 Club Red – Mesa, AZ *
6/05/2018 Launchpad – Albuquerque, NM !
6/07/2018 The Mohawk – Austin, TX !
^ w/ Hatebreed, Madball, Terror, Broken Teeth, Insanity Alert
# w/ Trivium, Venom Prison
@ w/ Trivium, Venom Prison, Code Orange
* w/ Sheer Mag, Fury and Red Death
! w/ Sheer Mag and Red Death

 

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: american, announce, death, fury, mag, north, ...

CD Review: Cannibal Corpse “Red Before Black”

“Red Before Black”
Cannibal Corpse
Metal Blade Records
Producer: Erik Rutan
Tracks: 12

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Cannibal Corpse returns with their 14th full-length studio album titled “Red Before Black” an album which clearly shows the soon-to-be thirty-year death metal veterans are unstoppable! The album serves to not only to reiterate this but to once more raise the stakes, making it very clear who sets the standards when it comes to compelling music this is equally brutal and complex. With 2017 seeing a slew of stunning new releases from death metal’s old guard “Red Before Black” stands strong and is a fitting statement for a band whose career spans almost three decades.

Not for the faint of heart “Red Before Black” is the latest offering from death metal heavy weights Cannibal Corpse and much like previous releases from the Buffalo, NY natives the band burst out of the gate going directly for your face! Tracks like album opener “Only One Will Die” and “Heads Shoveled Off” feature bombastic blast beats and thunderous double bass courtesy of Mr. Paul Mazurkiewicz while tracks like “Code of the Slashers” and “Shedding My Human Skin” feature some of the most guttural, demon summoning growls by George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher. With the guitars and bass acting as the proverbial cherry on top of each of the albums 12 tracks “Red Before Black” is one of the bands strongest releases in the past 5 years.

Chances are if you are already reading this then you what Cannibal Corpse is about and are familiar with their sound. If not but, you are looking for some balls to the wall death metal then do yourself a favor and grab a copy of “Red Before Black”! As a band progresses through their career often times sounds and styles change but in the case of Cannibal Corpse the band’s latest offering is equally if not more aggressive than the band’s debut, proving that just because a band gets older doesn’t mean they have to slow down or soften up.

Track Listing:
1.) Only One Will Die
2.) Red Before Black
3.) Code of the Slashers
4.) Shedding My Human Skin
5.) Remaimed
6.) Firestorm Vengeance
7.) Heads Shoveled Off
8.) Corpus Delicti
9.) Scavenger Consuming Death
10.) In The Midst of Ruin
11.) Destroyed Without a Trace
12.) Hideous Ichor

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Filed Under: CD Reviews, Music Tagged With: black, cannibal, cd, corpse, red, review, ...

Blu-ray Review “The Red Turtle”

Directors: Michael Dudok De Wit
Rated: PG
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 2, 2017
Run Time: 81 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

I am a huge fan of Studio Ghibli, “The Red Turtle” marks a change for the company. This is not an original film from them but instead a French film acquisition. It is also a wordless film yet also a beautiful film. Put it this way, I watched this film with my 5 year old and she was interested the whole time, even without words. The story was beautiful and the animation was gorgeous. Not your typical Ghibli film but definitely a different one and quite enjoyable.

Official Premise: Marking the much-anticipated return of Studio Ghibli, this masterfully animated fantasy film tells the story of a man shipwrecked at sea who becomes stranded on a beautiful but desolate island. He learns to live in isolation, seemingly tormented in his efforts to escape the island by a giant red turtle. Miraculously, he soon comes upon a young woman also lost at sea and they create a family together.

The 1080p transfer looks solid. The animation is well represented here and the colors are vibrant. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 works perfectly with the films score and sound effects, which gracefully drive the film along. The special features are a little light. There are two featurettes going behind-the-scenes including “The Birth of The Red Turtle” and “The Secrets of The Red Turtle” as well as a AFI Fest Q&A with Director Michael Dudok de Wit. This is a solid interview with a lot of great details though.

 

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, red, review, turtle

2015 Tribeca Film Festival Red Carpet Interviews

The 14th annual Tribeca Film Fest was held from April 15th to 26th in lower Manhattan. Media Mikes had the opportunity to speak to many of the creative minds behind the films making their premieres over the course of the Fest. You can read my coverage by clicking on any of the posters below and check back to see more additions:

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About the Tribeca Film Festival:

“The Tribeca Film Festival helps filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promote New York City as a major filmmaking center. It is well known for being a diverse international film festival that supports emerging and established directors.

Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in 2001, following the attacks on the World Trade Center, to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of the lower Manhattan district through an annual celebration of film, music, and culture, the Festival brings the industry and community together around storytelling.

The Tribeca Film Festival has screened more than 1,600 films from more than 80 countries since its first edition in 2002. Since inception, it has attracted an international audience of more than 4.9 million attendees, and has generated an estimated $900 million in economic activity for New York City.”

 

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Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: 2015, carpet, festival, film, interviews, red, ...

RiffTrax Live! discuss “The Room” on the Tribeca Red Carpet

RiffTrax Live! took the stage at the Tribeca Film Festival for their first ever New York show on April 17th. The crew consisted of the talent behind classic TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000, Mike J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett. Although MST3K went off the air officially in 1999, their particular brand of humor, consisting of running commentary on classic terrible B-movies got a new life in the form of RiffTrax. With RiffTrax, the guys have shed their MST3K alter-egos (Bill as Crow T Robot, Kevin as Tom Servo and Mike as…Mike) and have broadened their scope to include live shows and downloadable tracks riffing on mainstream studio films. For their Tribeca audience, the guys presented Tommy Wiseau’s 2003 “disasterpiece” The Room. I caught up with the trio on their red carpet. In true RiffTrax fashion while Mike posed in front of photographers, Kevin and Bill stalled off ­to the side to riff on his technique before all heading over for a hilarious chat about what they do:

Lauren Damon: So…why The Room?

Mike Lawrence: Have you seen it?
LD: Yep
Mike: Yeah. I mean it’s the weirdest movie ever, it has to be done.
Bill Corbett: It is the Citizen Kane of bad movies.

 

LD: Have you guys ever met Tommy Wiseau, does he know what you’re up to?
Mike: Oh yes.
Bill: Yeah, he has to agree to this, believe it or not.

 

LD: Does he think the movie is good?
Kevin Murphy: I think he was confused at first. He didn’t know exactly—He thought we were stealing his film at first—
Bill: He thought we were stealing his soul!
Kevin: But then he realized we were just having fun with it and he already knows people have fun with the film.
Bill: Yeah
Kevin: He’s accepted it and he’s embraced it so—
Bill: He decided to call it a comedy.
Mike: He’s a good sport about it.
Kevin: He’s a very good sport about it.

 

LD: And you’ll be doing this again live?
Kevin: We’re doing it live, May 6th, Rifftrax.com for all the information
Bill: Across the land!

 

LD: And you’ll have new material on this same film every time?
Bill: Yeah, this will probably change, yeah. This is very different from the one we recorded before, yeah, it’ll change a lot.

 

LD: Can you also talk about how with Rifftrax you switched from Mystery Science 3000 riffing on B-movies to now these downloadable tracks for mainstream movies?
Mike: Well we’ve never had a chance to do them, since we can’t get the rights to them, and the technology allowed it was just like there’s a whole bunch of movies out there that are opened up by doing it that way.
Kevin: It helped us to get some of these big, more recent films for our live shows. Like we’re doing Sharknado 2 in July. Yeah and then what’s that big blockbuster? Santa and The Ice Cream Bunny. [laughing]
Bill: George Lucas’s, I believe?
Kevin: [laughing] I think so, yes, in December.

 

LD: I enjoy downloading your tracks on my favorite movies. I have all your Marvel universe ones, because I’ve seen them a ton of times and I like to get a ‘new take’ on them.
Kevin: Yeah [all laughing] I’m glad we can provide that for you!
Bill: If we can do NOTHING else, it’s talk about the Hulk’s schlong.

 

LD: Do you miss your Mystery Science Theatre 3000 alter-egos, your robots?
Bill: I miss being Mike. I played Mike, you realize that don’t you?
Kevin: It’s amazing.
Mike: Make up. Hours in the chair.
Kevin: And Mike was Crow but he wasn’t a puppet, it was make up. It was just all make up. No, I had the opportunity to bring one of the show puppets home after the show was over and I said I don’t want that thing around my house. It would be like Anthony Hopkins in Magic [in presumably a demon puppet voice] “Chop your head off Kevin, CHOP YOUR HEAD OFF!”
Bill: KEVIN! KEEEEEVIN!

 

 

When you started MST3K almost 30 years ago did you ever think you’d be doing anything similar all this time later?
Kevin: No
Bill: I thought I’d work as like a bus boy or a porter or be, I don’t know on the Bowery.
Mike: I was sure I’d be back at TGIFridays. I still remember all the codes for extra broccoli.
Bill: Something to fall back on.
Kevin: We kinda were in job transitions and it seemed like fun so we did it and boom, we’re still here.
Bill: Well At this point we have no other discernible skill set. So we kind of have to do it.
Kevin: Yeah we kind of boned ourselves here!

 

LD: Do you go to see ‘real movies’? Are you in MS3TK mode, how  are you about people talking during films?
All: Oh yeah.
Bill: By all means, oh yeah. I hate people who talk in the movie theater! I’m really a prig and a tight-ass when it comes to that.
Kevin: “SHUSH!!” It’s true.

 

LD: Do you think, with rights issues, there will ever be a return to the MS3TK characters or that format?
Kevin: Really not up to us because we’re not really controlling—or owners of the company in any way. So…
Bill: I think they will be resurrected on the last days of EARTH. Like…the living and the dead…
Kevin: All the immortal souls.
Bill: Definitely that!

 

LD: Because it continues to have such life with dvds…
Kevin: Well, wait for the rapture, we’ll see what happens!
Bill: And this movie [The Room] will be the thing that kicks off the rapture.
Mike: Luckily you don’t have to wait very long at all.

Fortunately, the presentation at Tribeca did not bring about the rapture–although I can’t make any promises for the May 6th nationwide broadcast–but it was a hell of a good time. Not only were audiences treated to The Room, but the gang pre-gamed with a black and white children’s safety film, “Live and Learn” that featured more lessons than you can shake a dangerous pointed stick at. My face hurt from laughing and the crowd gave the trio a standing O.

 

Tickets for the May 6th broadcast of Rifftrax Live: The Room are available via Fathom Events

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Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: carpet, discuss, live, red, rifftrax, room, ...

Win a Blu-ray of “Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead” [ENDED]


To celebrate the release of “Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead”, we are happy to be giving away THREE Blu-rays of the film. If you want to win this great prizes, please leave us a comment below or send us an email with your favorite zombie film. This giveaway will remain open until January 2nd at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in US and Canada only. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

Martin (Vegar Hoel) hasn’t had the best vacation. He accidentally killed his girlfriend with an axe. He cut his own arm off with a chainsaw. And his friends STILL got devoured by a battalion of Nazi Zombies. This morning, he woke up in a hospital bed with a new arm – but it’s a super-powered Zombie arm that wants to kill him, and anything else it can reach. Martin’s PISSED. And with the help of his new Zombie Squad pals (Martin Starr, Jocelyn DeBoer, Ingrid Haas), he’s gonna deliver some payback to Colonel Herzog and his precious Nazi gold – by raising an undead army of his own.

 

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    Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: 2, bluray, dead, red, snow, win, ...

    CD Review: Red Dragon Cartel “Red Dragon Cartel”

    Red Dragon Cartel
    “Red Dragon Cartel”
    Frontier Records
    Produced by: Ronnie Mancuso, Jake E. Lee
    Tracks: 10

    Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

    Red Dragon Cartel is the newest rock/metal group formed by former Ozzy Osbourne/Badlands guitarist Jake E. Lee. Along with Lee the group features Ronnie Mancuso on bass, drummer Jonas Fairly and singer D.J. Smith. Together the group creates a sound that blurs the lines between progressive rock, heavy metal and industrial synth pop. The self-titled debut is being released via Frontier Records and features 10 original tracks produced by Mancuso and Lee and Executive Produced by Kevin Churko (Five Finger Death Punch, In This Moment, Ozzy Osbourne).

    Having been a subscriber of Guitar World magazine for as long as I can remember I certainly wasn’t stranger to the work Jake E. Lee. From Ozzy’s “Bark at the Moon” and “Ultimate Sin” albums to his recent appearances on VH1’s “That Metal Show” he was a player that was always on my radar. When it was announced he was going to be coming out with a new project I was certainly down for checking it out. “Red Dragon Cartel” is a unique blend of styles that cover a wide spectrum of hard rock and metal. The albums opening track “Deceived” shares a striking resemblance to “Bark at the Moon” while forging new ground both musically and vocally.

    The track “Feeder” is a catchy rocker that is the first of several tracks to feature guest appearances with this one featuring Robin Zander of Cheap Trick fame. Other guest performances on the album include Maria Brink of In This Moment, former Iron Maiden singer Paul Di’Anno and former Pantera/current Kill Devil Hill bassist Rex Brown to name just a few. Don’t let the long list of guest musicians fool you in to thinking that Red Dragon Cartel can’t stand on their own as singer D.J. Smith and the rest of the members of the band all can certainly hold their as the guest performances act more like the icing on the cake.

    Though I found portions of the album sounding a bit dated there was nothing on the album that made me want to stop listening. I think the members of Red Dragon Cartel have made a solid record that showcases a number of different styles and talents and those things alone are makes this album worth checking out.

    Track Listing:
    1.) Deceived
    2.) Shout It Out
    3.) Feeder (feat. Robin Zander)
    4.) Fall from the Sky
    5.) Wasted
    6.) Slave
    7.) Big Mouth (feat. Maria Brink)
    8.) War Machine
    9.) Redeem Me
    10.) Exquisite Tenderness

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    Filed Under: CD Reviews Tagged With: cartel, cd, dragon, red, review

    Blu-ray Review “Red 2”

    Actors: Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Anthony Hopkins, Mary-Louise Parker
    Directors: Dean Parisot
    Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
    Studio: Summit Inc/Lionsgate
    Release Date: November 26, 2013
    Run Time: 116 minutes

    Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
    Extras” 2 out of 5 stars

    When “Red” came out, I thought that it was cool that they were adapting a comic book for the older folks. The cast is superb including Bruce Willis (“Die Hard”), John Malkovich (“Burn After Reading”), Mary-Louise Parker (Showtime’s “Weeds”), with Anthony Hopkins (“Thor”) and Helen Mirren (“The Queen”) but too bad, the film cannot capture that same thrill as the first. In fact “Red 2” just feels like a re-do of the first one, the fun aspect feels too old…no pun. The action/comedy is still present but lacks the sharpness of the first film. This is a sequel that no one was asking for, so unless you are a die-hard of the first film I would pass this one and just remember how cool the first film was.

    Official Premise: Retired black-ops CIA agent Frank Moses (Willis) and his team set out on a global quest to track down a missing, next-generation lethal device that can change the balance of world power. To succeed, they’ll need to survive an army of relentless assassins, ruthless terrorists and power-crazed government officials, all eager to get their hands on the technologically advanced super weapon. Outgunned and outmanned, they have only their cunning wits, old-school skills and each other to rely on as they try to save the world – and stay alive in the process.

    Despite the film itself, “Red 2” packs an amazing punch in terms of audio video. The 1080p transfer with an aspect ratio of 2.40:1 delivers the action and also showcases the very beautiful shooting locations including Paris and London. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, which is wall-shaking good and works perfect with each action sequence. In terms of special features though we are back to disappointing. “The Red 2 Experience” is a decent collection of featurettes looking behind-the-scenes. Lastly there are a few short deleted scenes and a gag reel included.

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    Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 2, bluray, red, review

    Film Review “Red 2”

    Starring: Bruce Willis, John Malkovich and Mary-Louise Parker
    Directed by: Dean Parisot
    Rated: PG-13
    Running Time: 1 hr 56 mins
    Summit Entertainment

    Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

    The loveable sociopaths of the CIA retirement home are back with some fresh new villains and killing machines accompanying them for the ride. This sequel to 2010’s “RED” once again showcases the elderly handing out some ass kickings, though with less charm and wit than the original.

    Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is trying out the normal life. Shopping at CostCo and trying to find the latest gadget to put in his home. His girlfriend Sarah Ross (Mary-Louise Parker), who is still coming down from the adrenaline rush of the events in “RED”, is not as enthusiastic about settling down and making dinner. As the film starts, the paranoid Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich) springs up, trying to sway Frank back into the spy game. As much as Frank says no, he really doesn’t have much of a choice because, as in the first film, he’s a marked man. The cold war era has come back to haunt him. A recently released document shows a portable nuclear device is missing and everyone’s pointing their fingers at Frank and Marvin.

    As in “RED,” the film is peppered with both well known and B-list actors to supply the excitement. Jack Horton (Neal MacDonough) is tasked with capturing Frank, but realizes even a squad of machine gun wielding men can’t stop an unarmed Bruce Willis. Also hot on the trail of Frank is Han Jo-Bae (Lee Byung-hun), who has a personal vendetta against him. During Frank and Marvin’s journey to find out more about this lost WMD, they track down a diabolical wine connoisseur who is known simply as The Frog (David Thewlis). The trio also accidentally bump into one of Frank’s former flames, Miranda (Catherine Zeta-Jones). We’re also treated to the best character in the movie, Edward Bradley (Anthony Hopkins). He’s a delusional former scientist who might just hold the whereabouts to the weapon.

    During “RED” the characters traversed the United States. This sequel takes us first class on a wild trip around the world that touches down multiple times in three continents. It’s a visual step up, but our time in each city is short lived. Before we’re given enough time to chew on some of the scenery or digest any fresh details to the story, we’re back on the plane to another exotic location to have more exposition crammed in our gullets. When the flames die down and the guns run out of ammo, the movie hits the brakes hard.

    The returning cast lack that spark of excitement and that innate taste of chaos they seemed to bathe in with “RED”. The first was obviously an introductory piece to this fantastic world of geriatric spies and assassins. Without any graphic novel to really fall back on, the writers (the Hoeber brothers) pretty much had free range to do whatever they want. So, they opted for a bland imitation of the first script. They had a chance to scratch away at the surface and find some nuggets of fun, smiling insanity. Instead the characters act out hollow versions of their previous selves when their guns are in their holsters. You’ll find yourself re-adjusting in your seat when Frank wonders aloud if he can keep Sarah safe from this horrible predicament. Yes you can. Now give her a gun.

    Even though this isn’t a step-up from the original, it’s still great to see the trio of Frank, Martin and Sarah bicker and quip at each during a gun battle. It’s also still fun that every character introduction or entrance into a scene comes with screaming, bullet hole ridden furniture and shattered glass. It was a blast at the theater, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that these characters deserved better. So, if you’re looking for the same chuckles, violent eye candy and seeing some of your favorite aging actors embody James Bond or Rambo, give “RED 2” a look.

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    Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: 2, film, red, review

    Tribeca Film Festival 2013 – Red Carpet Coverage & Film Reviews

    The 12th annual Tribeca Film Festival is being held from April 17-28 in New York City. The festival’s mission is to help filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience, enable the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promote New York City as a major filmmaking center. Tribeca Film Festival is well known for being a diverse international film festival that supports emerging and established directors. The Festival has screened over 1400 films from over 80 countries since its first festival in 2002. Since its founding, it has attracted an international audience of more than 4 million attendees and has generated an estimated $750 million in economic activity for New York City.

    Check out the following link for the 2013 film schedule

    A Single Shot: The writer and director join stars Sam Rockwell, Kelly Reilly and Heather Lind at the thriller’s TFF premiere. Rockwell stars as John Moon, a man caught in a tense cat-and-mouse chase after stealing money from a woman he accidentally shot while hunting in rural West Virginia. Check out our review here!

    Lil Bub and Friendz : Documents the rise of cat videos on the internet as both a subculture and in some cases, a potential goldmine. Bub and owner Mike Bridavsky joined doc directors Andy Capper and Eisner on TFF’s red carpet.

    Trust Me: Clark Gregg’s second directorial effort after 2008’s Choke finds the actor also starring as Howard Holloway a down on his luck agent to child stars. The film’s premiere at Tribeca included Gregg, newcomer Saxon Sharbino, and co-stars Felicity Huffman (“Desperate Housewives”) and Paul Sparks (“Boardwalk Empire”).

    V/H/S 2: Follow-up to last year horror film, which is an anthology film that is comprised of horror shorts by different directors strung loosely together by a framing story. Click here for our review.

    What Richard Did: Director Lenny Abrahamson joined star Jack Reynor to talk about their Irish drama which made it’s Stateside debut at Tribeca. Check out our review here!

    Click each poster below for our red carpet coverage from the following films:

    ..

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    Filed Under: Commentary, Featured Tagged With: 2013, carpet, coverage, festival, film, red, ...

    “The Man With the Iron Fists” ROE Tickets Giveaway! [ENDED]

    THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED AND WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL. PLEASE CHECK BACK EACH WEEK FOR NEW GIVEAWAYS!

    If you would like to enter for a chance to win free passes to see THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS during its run of engagement (AKA ROE), please leave a comment below with your favorite martial arts film. Winners will be chosen on a RANDOM BASIS on November 2nd. ONLY ONE ENTRY PER PERSON/PER HOUSEHOLD PLEASE! OTHERWISE ALL ENTRIES WILL BE DISREGARDED. The winners will be will notified via email if chosen to win. Good luck and thanks for supporting MediaMikes.com

    Quentin Tarantino presents THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS, an action-adventure inspired by kung-fu classics as interpreted by his longtime collaborators RZA and Eli Roth.  Making his debut as a big-screen director, co-writer and leading man, RZA—alongside an exciting international cast led by Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu—tells the epic story of warriors, assassins and a lone outsider hero who all descend on one fabled village in China for a winner-take-all battle for a fortune in gold.

    Blending astonishing martial-arts sequences from some of the masters of this world with the signature vision he brings as the leader of the Wu-Tang Clan and as one of hip-hop’s most dominant figures of the past two decades, RZA embarks upon his most ambitious, stylized and thrilling project to date.

    Joining Crowe, RZA and Liu in the cast are Rick Yune, Jamie Chung, Cung Le, Dave Bautista, Byron Mann, Daniel Wu and Pam Grier.

    Universal Pictures will release THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS on Friday, November 2, 2012.

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    Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: band, fists, giveaway, iron, man, red, ...
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